Word on the street was that all GMs were big fans of the kid, but that the buyout situation was seen as a big issue. Without it and with JV's FIBA summer, I don't see any GM missing the opportunity to draft a 7'0 stud who can run, shoot and punish any team on the FT line. #1.

There certainly seems to be no center prospect in the draft who can match his overall game. Praise and awards have followed this guy all through the past year. I have yet to vote because I'm still thinking about it. It's hard for me not vote #1 or #2.

There certainly seems to be no center prospect in the draft who can match his overall game. Praise and awards have followed this guy all through the past year. I have yet to vote because I'm still thinking about it. It's hard for me not vote #1 or #2.

I can't see any GM picking Valanciunas over Davis. That's not taking anything away from Val, but merely the promise that David gives to a team. I think if Val was in the 2012 draft that Davis would still be viewed as the consensus overall pick.

Oh whoops, I read his statement incorrectly thinking he could not vote Val to go #1 or #2...Davis is the obvious #1 and then you have to think either Drummond on potential or Barnes on pure talent at #2.

I would probably put JV in the top 5 of this draft. He has a great body of work so far, but at the end of the day he is still untested in North American style play. I think Rubio's success has many people thinking that all young European players will translate just as easily to the NBA. For me anyways, the college game is a better way to judge young prospects.

I would probably put JV in the top 5 of this draft. He has a great body of work so far, but at the end of the day he is still untested in North American style play. I think Rubio's success has many people thinking that all young European players will translate just as easily to the NBA. For me anyways, the college game is a better way to judge young prospects.

I have to disagree. Well, partly at least.

Most young european entering the draft are bench players back home with limited minutes and not necessarily high level experience, so in this case, i do agree that college game is better.

But in JV's case (or Rubio's), the dude is a starter on his team (and has been for quite a while now), has played in the Euroleague, FIBA Euro championships : he's used to play with grown men at a professionnal level. This is priceless : don't forget that most college players won't ever become professionnal, so I think the average level is higher in Europe.

Then there is the style/rules differences, but there are some between college hoops and NBA too.

I think Davis would go #1. #2 would go to either Barnes or MKG, and #3 would go to JV.

I can see JV almost like the Kanter pick last year. You have the automatic #1 in Davis.. and then probably the best wing in Barnes or MKG as #2, and then JV as #3. Of course this is all hypothetical since we don't know the order of the lottery and which athletes are going to declare.

Most young european entering the draft are bench players back home with limited minutes and not necessarily high level experience, so in this case, i do agree that college game is better.

But in JV's case (or Rubio's), the dude is a starter on his team (and has been for quite a while now), has played in the Euroleague, FIBA Euro championships : he's used to play with grown men at a professionnal level. This is priceless : don't forget that most college players won't ever become professionnal, so I think the average level is higher in Europe.

Then there is the style/rules differences, but there are some between college hoops and NBA too.

Great post. Yes, J.V. is starting against grown men, not boys. He's holding his own against players of far more experience and who are far more developed than NCAA players. I would say that he is at least getting as much developmental experience and coaching as he would get in the NCAA.

Mediumcore wrote:

I would probably put JV in the top 5 of this draft. He has a great body of work so far, but at the end of the day he is still untested in North American style play. I think Rubio's success has many people thinking that all young European players will translate just as easily to the NBA. For me anyways, the college game is a better way to judge young prospects.

Rubio struggled through most of his European pro career and now he's killing it but that's just one guy. There are decades of examples management would look at and Rubio isn't the be all, end all example. Thinking just big men off the top of my head you have have Sabonis, Divac, Big Z, Nowitzki, the Gasols and Bargnani. Those would be better places to look and compare than Rubio.

Most young european entering the draft are bench players back home with limited minutes and not necessarily high level experience, so in this case, i do agree that college game is better.

But in JV's case (or Rubio's), the dude is a starter on his team (and has been for quite a while now), has played in the Euroleague, FIBA Euro championships : he's used to play with grown men at a professionnal level. This is priceless : don't forget that most college players won't ever become professionnal, so I think the average level is higher in Europe.

Then there is the style/rules differences, but there are some between college hoops and NBA too.

To tell you the truth my opion, and that's all it is, is based not not the level of play or basketball IQ which I think the European leages and players have in spades compared to NCAA players, but more so the athletecism of European players face on a day to day basis compared to NCAA players. I mean potential draft picks from college are mostly freshman and sophmores whom have had 2 years at most of being coached by people whom belong in the profession and their highschool coaches whom...well my highschool basketball coaches also coached religion and math. So it's not a question of smarts, but more so of the speed and athletecism. I feel those aspects of the NCAA game are closer to the NBA than play in Europe.